Has anybody experience with the mounting of young birds? I just mounted a young Long-eared Owl and had problems with the feathers falling out. Any tips about skin-preserving? How do you wash and dry such a skin without damaging the feathers? Are there any books/magazines with information about mounting juvenile birds?
Thanks for any answer!
Sabrina
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Sabrina what you probably experienced was the joy of mounting a bird with lots of pin feathers. These are newly developing feathers that still have a fat and bloody "quill" to them where they attach to the skin. As far as i know, you will lose some of these feathers no matter what steps you take.
I'm sure you have a permit to have/mount that Federally protected Owl - correct?
Young birds are best not washed - unless they are juvenile waterbirds (Charadriformes, Anseriformes, Podicepiformes, Procellariformes, etc.). When there is lots of pin feathers, you must be very gentle with the skin as the feathers will pop out very quickly. If there are very dirty areas, wait until the bird is totally dry before you clean it. As the skin dries on the form, it will tighten around the pin feathers giving them purchase into the skin. When set like this, you can even go back after you are done mounting and break open the tips of some of the pin feathers and allow the developing feather come out and fluff up.
Thanks everybody! Yes, of corse I have a permit to mount this bird. And you are right too, I'm from Switzerland, but getting my training as a prep. in Germany at the moment.
I think I did a good job on this little bird, thanks to you all.
See ya!
Sabrina